Category: Gronk

Brian Hoyer explains why Rob Gronkowski was better tight end than Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce is a phenomenal tight end, but he isn’t Rob Gronkowski, per QB Brian Hoyer

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is widely regarded as the greatest tight end of all time, and one of his former teammates took the time to explain why.

Quarterback Brian Hoyer played with Gronkowski for four seasons and got to see his production firsthand. Gronkowski was an offense catalyst for New England for nine seasons, recording 7,861 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns. He immediately burst onto the scene, catching 17 touchdown passes in his second season in 2011. The touchdown catches are an NFL record to this day.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is certainly having a strong career in his own right, and he has started receiving comparisons to Gronkowski in terms of his playmaking ability. On top of that, the Chiefs are being compared to the Patriots as the next great dynasty. Hoyer was a guest on the “Pats from the Past Podcast” and made sure to give Gronkowski his flowers.

While Hoyer did not diminish Kelce’s efforts, he noted that blocking is something that separates the two.

“Having played with him, maybe I’m a little biased, but [Gronkowski is] the greatest tight end of all time,” said Hoyer. “Not only because of his size, speed, and when you think of a tight end’s ability to run routes and catch. But, because he was such a great blocker that teams had to honor that. And I think that’s what made him so dynamic.

“We look at Travis Kelce today, phenomenal tight end, but really, Travis isn’t blocking anybody. Rob would block like he was the right tackle. …Rob really changed the game in that matter because he was a lineman, who was the premier pass catcher at the same time.”

It’s hard to argue with Kelce’s accomplishments, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs primed to make another Super Bowl run in 2024. However, Gronkowski still reigns supreme as the best overall tight end, at least for now.

Rob Gronkowski makes his choice for Patriots third overall draft pick

Who does Rob Gronkowski believe the Patriots should select at No. 3 overall on the draft board?

The New England Patriots are in a prime position to take a quarterback with the third overall selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

Analysts and personalities alike have spent the last couple of months predicting who the Patriots will take at No. 3 overall. Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski offered another prediction on Monday.

The Patriots need a franchise quarterback, and New England is in a position to select either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye with the pick. The team has done its homework on both players with multiple meetings, including pro days and top-30 visits.

Gronkowski believes the Patriots may be selecting the UNC star third overall, as he told Rob Hardy and Jon Wallach.

“Oh yeah, I think the Patriots definitely need to go quarterback, or if they don’t go quarterback, they need to get Marvin Harrison Jr. I think he is the best skill player in the draft. If they don’t go quarterback, you would have to take him then instead.

“…I think they’re gonna go quarterback though. I think they’re going to go in that direction. I think Drake Maye is going to be the guy that is going to be available at number three for them.”

Maye would certainly be an ideal choice, given his athleticism and ability to throw the deep ball. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best receiver in the draft this year, so he would not be a bad selection by any means.

However, New England needs stability in the quarterback room, and Maye would be an ideal fit

Rob Gronkowski wants to see this Tom Brady trait from next Patriots QB

Rob Gronkowski wants the next Patriots quarterback to have a certain trait.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski wants the next Patriots quarterback to have at least one trait synonymous with Tom Brady.

New England is entering a crucial phase in the development of their franchise with an opportunity to draft a top quarterback prospect with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The organization could use the stability after getting inconsistent quarterback play from both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe over the last two seasons.

One of the main aspects of evaluating a quarterback is identifying their intangibles and what they’re best at. However, there is a lot more to it than that.

Gronkowski spoke on MassLive’s “Eye on Foxborough” podcast earlier this week and broke down what he would like to see, as transcribed by MassLive.com’s Chris Mason.

“The one quality I would say that a quarterback really needs is the will to win,” Gronkowski said. “The will to want to be better. If you’ve got talent but you don’t have the will to want to be better every single day, you’re not going to make it. The talent is going to fizzle out. That’s what Tom had: He had the will to want to be better every single day. If you want to be a quarterback in the NFL for a long time, you’ve gotta have that trait.”

New England needs a spark at the quarterback position, and a determined rookie under center would certainly be a good place to start. Whether or not they can surround him with the necessary talent to be successful is still to be determined.

WATCH: Rob Gronkowski misses promotional field goal kick wide right

Gronk’s 25-yard field goal kick was no good on Sunday

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had an opportunity to redeem himself in his “Kick of Destiny”, courtesy of FanDuel, ahead of Super Bowl LVIII.

He tried a kick from 25 yards out and missed wide right.

It was the second year in a row that the former Patriots star missed a kick. It certainly had the distance, but it wasn’t even close to making it through its intended target.

Patriots fans know a thing or two about missed kicks considering rookie Chad Ryland struggled throughout the season, going 16-of-25 on the year. Gronkowski’s kick, which you can see below, clearly wasn’t any better.

Gronkowski should probably close the book on any hopes and dreams as a kicker. But then again, who needs kicking dreams when you’re a future Hall of Fame tight end and four-time Super Bowl champion?

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Rob Gronkowski suggests Patriots select big-time playmaker with No. 3 draft pick

Rob Gronkowski suggests who the Patriots should take with the No. 3 pick in 2024 NFL draft

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski wants the team to draft an offensive playmaker with the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft. Several names fit the bill, including Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison Jr. is coming off a tremendous 2023 season for the Buckeyes. He recorded 1,211 yards on 67 catches to go along with 14 touchdowns. He tallied 155 catches for 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns during a decorated career at Ohio State.

Harrison Jr. would undoubtedly give the Patriots a playmaker on offense. Gronkowski vouched for the wideout when speaking with the media at a FanDuel event.

“I mean, this is their highest draft pick in quite some time,” said Gronkowski. “I think, since Drew Bledsoe, right? …But I think if they don’t go with a quarterback, Drake Maye or Caleb Williams is already taken off the board, I think a for sure pick, a for sure lock that won’t be a bust, that’s going to do big things right from the beginning is Marvin Harrison Jr. at the wide receiver position. I mean, he’s an explosive player. If you want those players, take Marvin Harrison Jr.”

Harrison Jr. would undoubtedly be a solid pick for New England.

He would give them the explosive playmaking ability that has been lacking at the position for a number of years now. His precise route-running and ability to run after the catch are two things New England needs at the position in a major way.

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Rob Gronkowski doubles down on disdain for Colts

It’s safe to say Rob Gronkowski really does not like the Colts.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski still does not like the Indianapolis Colts, even years after playing for the Patriots.

The tight end had a successful career against Indianapolis. He tallied 33 catches for 545 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games against the Colts. He recorded 123 yards in his final game against the team, while playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Gronkowski already took a swipe at the team earlier this year, mocking the Colts for their complaints over Deflategate, when appearing on Julian Edelman’s podcast, “Games with Names”. New England won the game in question by a 45-7 margin back in 2015, sending them to the Super Bowl.

“Let me tell you, I do not like the Colts,” said Gronkowski, during an appearance on “Up & Adams”. “…They were hanging banners for winning a division. They were always a little cocky, always talked garbage when they played us, and we just romped ’em week in and week out every time we played them, especially in the playoffs.

“I don’t like the Colts. I always loved running up the score versus them. We dominated them in the pass game and in the run game as well, and we were dominating them so bad that they came up with that Deflategate B.S. because they needed an excuse why we were absolutely terrorizing them.”

It just goes to show that even after players hang up the cleats, the bad blood does not always subside.

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Rob Gronkowski absolutely hates ‘loser’ Colts for Deflategate

Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski isn’t a fan of the Colts for obvious reasons.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski still hasn’t forgiven the Indianapolis Colts for the media circus surrounding Deflategate.

The whole controversy came during the 2014 AFC Championship Game, when Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson handed an intercepted pass from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to the Colts’ equipment manager to keep as a souvenir.

NFL officials were then notified by the team of an issue with the inflation level of the football. Even though Jackson claimed he never noticed the difference, the entire ordeal created a circus that was much to do about nothing.

The referees didn’t even log the pressure of the footballs during the game. There was never any proof of wrongdoing, and still, the league made the decision to suspend Brady for four games, fine the Patriots’ organization $1 million and force the team to forfeit two draft selections.

“I absolutely hate the Colts bro,” said Gronkowski, when appearing on Julian Edelman’s “Games With Names” podcast. “They needed to find some B.S. answer of why they kept losing to us every single year. And they weren’t just losing to us. We were absolutely pounding that ass. I don’t like them. You can’t be any bigger of a loser pulling that off, you know? ‘Oh guys, we lost by 50.’ Are you kidding me? We ran the ball for 300 yards.”

Gronkowski does have a point about the Patriots typically owning the Colts. They went on to win that AFC Championship Game 45-7. There’s clearly no love lost between the two teams nearly a decade later.

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Rob Gronkowski recounts hilarious pre-draft visit with Patriots

Rob Gronkowski’s pre-draft visit with the Patriots is one of the most “Gronk” stories ever told.

There’s an old saying that goes “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski certainly made quite the impression during his pre-draft visit with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in 2010.

New England was his last stop on his pre-draft visit tour, and between sickness and exhaustion, he fell asleep during the visit. He elaborated on it on Julian Edelman’s “Games With Names” podcast earlier this week.

“I go into the interview session and Billy O’Brien draws a play up and then he erases it on the board and he’s like, ‘Alright, can you name what the wide receivers did?’ Like re-name their route and what their responsibility was. I was like, bro I have no clue,” said Gronkowski, via WEEI’s Mike Kadlick. “I couldn’t even think. And then he’s like, ‘What do you do?’ I was like, ‘You just throw me the [expletive] ball Billy O, I’ll make some guys miss, I’ll run over some people.’

“He’s like, ‘But you don’t know the play,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t need to know the play just throw me the ball.’ Like that’s basically how our interview went.”

The tight end ended up being selected in the second round with the 42nd overall pick in the draft.

When all was said and done, the pre-draft visit did not affect his draft stock at all since he ended up going to the Patriots. It certainly made for a memorable experience, as Gronkowski mentioned on the podcast.

Gronkowski would end up becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the NFL and play an integral role in the second half of New England’s near 20-year dynasty.

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Rob Gronkowski expects Bill Belichick to be with Patriots in 2024

Rob Gronkowski doesn’t see Bill Belichick going anywhere next season.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski expects coach Bill Belichick to stay with the Patriots in 2024.

There has been speculation throughout the entire season that the 2023 campaign could be Belichick’s last with the team. The Patriots currently sit with a 3-10 record and the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, if the season ended today.

Multiple former Patriots players have weighed in on the possibility of a coaching change in New England, with Tom Brady also saying he would find it difficult see Belichick on another sideline.

Gronkowski appeared on Barstool Sports “Pardon My Take” in an episode published on Friday, and he thinks Belichick will be back in New England next season.

“I would be surprised for him to go to a different team. It would just be really weird, first off.” said Gronkowski. “He’s been with New England for so long. I kind of feel like, yeah, this season is really rough, but he is still one of the greatest coaches of all time. There’s no doubt about that. I played for him. I learned from him. He helped develop me to be the player that I was. There’s no doubt about that. If he’s not one of the greatest coaches of all time, he is the greatest coach of all time.

“I believe he really grandfather-claused in with the New England Patriots. I mean, he would have to have another year like this year, next year, for them to finally be like ‘Alright, it’s time. Let’s move on.’ But, I truly believe that he will be [in New England] next year.”

The Patriots are still riding high after their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. It marked their third win in a row over the Steelers and put an end to a five-game losing streak.

If anything, it’s a little momentum for a potential case for Belichick to get one more crack at things with the Patriots.

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Rob Gronkowski says Mac Jones ‘not respected’ in New England, should ‘ask for release’

Rob Gronkowski believes Mac Jones should ask for his release from New England and try his luck elsewhere.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski believes quarterback Mac Jones is not respected in New England. He dropped this bombshell on Wednesday’s edition of “Up & Adams.”

Jones has had a difficult 2023 campaign. He has thrown for 2,031 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The quarterback has struggled so badly that he was benched during Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. He passed for 170 yards and an interception in that game, and the Patriots went on to lose 10-6.

It was yet another rough chapter in what was supposed to be a promising career. Jones was New England’s first-round pick in 2021 and was thought to be the next franchise quarterback. His career started off strong, as he led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff appearance in his rookie season.

However, things have started to take a downward turn, and the quarterback’s regression has been evident. Gronkowski believes the time has come for Jones to ask for his release

“If I was Mac Jones as well, he’s not respected in New England,” Gronkowski said. “Coach Belichick has played all these games with him. Bailey Zappe isn’t even close to being on Mac Jones’ level. You should never, ever sit Mac Jones.

“You tried it once, you tried it twice, it’s not working. Now, he’s doing it again. He won’t name a starting quarterback. He’s not respected there. I think Mac Jones should ultimately, even right now, should just go ask for his release. If you’re talking to me about what he should do, ask for his release.”

This would certainly be a major move for a team that ultimately wants to find stability at the quarterback position. There are also options in the 2024 NFL draft with Caleb Williams being one of them.

Time will tell what the Patriots do and if Jones is in their future plans moving forward.

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